Tuesday, 16 July 2002
Examination of neutrally stratified atmospheric boundary layers with the help of large eddy simulation
High Reynolds number boundary layers (BLs) were simulated with the help
of an improved large eddy simulation model. The LES code incorporated
advanced numerics such as latter modification of pressure correction
method and fully conservative central difference schemes.
Advanced version of dynamic mixed subfilter model (DMM) was employed as
the turbulence closure. Application of the DMM was favorable to simulations
within a surface layer. Simulated BLs were thoroughly examined
against accurate laboratory and more scattered atmospheric measurements.
It was concluded that the LES model is able to reproduce the mean quantities,
second and third order turbulent statistics in high Reynolds number flows.
It was also recognized that a "true" Reynolds number of simulated flow is
determined both the model resolution and employed subfilter model.
Skewness and flatness revealed large deviation from the Gaussian statistics in
LES results. This fact suggested a presence of large scale organized
structures in the simulated flow. There is no possibility to derive
such structures from atmospheric observations, therefore, analysis is
necessary based on LES data. Multivariate statistical analysis
of the most energetic eddies was performed for simulated laboratory
and atmospheric BLs. Both types of BLs consisted of essentially the same
organized structures known as hairpin vortices. Earlier theoretical
stability analysis had predicted existence of a larger organized structures
(rolls) in the atmospheric BLs. Rolls were not recognized in this analysis.
Nevertheless, many distinct properties of rolls were captured by the
atmospheric BLs structures.
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